HONDA BUILT THE WORLD'S FIRST DAILY SUPERCAR

These days, the term 'everyday supercar' applies to many a performance model. From the modern-day Porsche 911 Turbo to the McLaren 750S, many thoroughbred supercars are designed to excel on-road as well as on the track. Back in the late 1980s, they were a distant dream. The Porsche 911 Turbo of the time was still too wayward to be considered an 'everyday supercar', while models like the Lamborghini Countach would make your life a living hell from the moment you opened the door.

Looking to enter the top-line performance sector, Honda decided to build the first supercar that could be trusted to transport its owner to their destination in comfort and without breaking down. In 1992, its hard work bore fruit.

The NSX Was Born To Battle Honda's European Rivals

The idea of an everyday supercar was first floated within Honda around the mid-1980s, when the brand was playing around with different layouts it could utilize in its future products. One of these included cutting a tiny Honda City in half and slotting the engine behind the rear seats to power the rear wheels. From this came the idea of building a supercar, though Honda's higher-ups pushed to ensure the finished product would show its European rivals who was boss.

Honda commissioned Italian design house Pininfarina to design a concept car following a two-seat mid-engined configuration. Named the HP-X, it made its worldwide debut at the 1984 Turin Motor Show. It was well received, and Honda got stuck into a lengthy development process to ensure it could hit its lofty targets. The marque targeted cars such as the Ferrari 348 with its challenger, which was later christened the NSX.

The NSX Was Sold Under Honda's Luxury Brand In The US

Following a six-year development push, the finished product finally made its debut at the 1989 Chicago Motor Show. After more positive reaction from audiences worldwide, the NSX went on sale in Japan first in 1990, before then being introduced to US audiences by the end of the year. Unlike most of the world, the NSX was sold under Honda's US-based luxury arm, Acura, stateside. This hinted that the NSX was destined to be no ordinary supercar.

The first-gen car was continually developed until it was finally retired in 2005, with a hybrid-powered second-generation Honda NSX making its bow in 2017.

The NSX Featured Various Revolutionary Technological Advances

The buzzword Honda stuck to when designing the NSX was 'Balance'. The manufacturer tasked its engineers with developing a car that was not only light and responsive, but had a powerplant that would work seamlessly to make sure it threw up no nasty surprises when pushed. As a result, there were no wheelspin-inducing turbos here, the NSX got a high-revving 3.0-liter V6 that featured its iconic VTEC technology.

Like in the HP-X prototype years earlier, the engine was placed behind the rear seats and ahead of the rear axle to achieve superior weight distribution to improve chassis balance. The light all-aluminum V6 helped keep the overall weight down to just over 3,000 pounds, which was needed as the powerplant wasn't exactly a 500-hp powerhouse. It produced 270 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque which, when combined with its light frame, allowed it to sprint to 60 mph in under six seconds. It was exciting too, with manual-equipped cars being afforded a redline of 8,000 rpm.

The engine came mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, though drivers after a more relaxing supercar experience could opt for a four-speed automatic unit instead.

The NSX Had F1-Inspired Tech Under The Skin

Alongside the excitable V6, Honda's engineers ensured the NSX could attack apexes better than its rivals. It was loaded with aluminum double-wishbone suspension that reduced weight and further influenced the NSX's balanced handling characteristics. Speaking of saving weight, the NSX was the first production car to have its chassis and body made from aluminum, which Honda claimed to save 40% more weight than if they'd used traditional steel. Both of these advancements had been developed in Formula 1, which Honda took part in as an engine supplier at the time.

It stopped well too, with the NSX getting a revolutionary 4-channel ABS system. The setup could control all four wheels under heavy braking, ensuring it could quickly adapt to any wheel losing grip and put extra on other wheels with more grip. It was the first production car to ever feature such a system.

The NSX Was Designed To Be Used On An Everyday Basis

While Honda's engineers afforded the NSX the level of performance other supercars could achieve at the time, they also worked hard to ensure drivers felt comfortable when piloting it when their hair wasn't on fire. A fighter-jet style canopy was developed to give drivers a 360-degree view of their surroundings for a kick-off, while the mid-engine layout meant that a decent-sized trunk was available and legroom was improved in the cabin.

The NSXs seats were designed to be supportive as well as comfortable, and it came with a range of handy refinements as standard, such as climate control and a Bose audio system. The controls for these setups were also placed intelligently on the dashboard to make it as intuitive as possible for the NSXs occupants.

It Even Came With An Extensive Warranty

Of course, being a Honda, it came with a stout reliability record. The C Series V6 engine family is one of the brand's most reliable, with units easily capable of covering 200,000 to 250,000 miles when properly looked after. The NSX was even sold with a three-year or 36,000-mile warranty when it was released in the US, allowing owners to give their new pride and joy a good go without having to worry about being left with hefty repair bills. That said, any crash damage wasn't covered.

Given the NSXs C30 A powerplant shared many similarities to C-Series engines featured in its more mass-produced models, it could also be easily maintained by main Honda dealers and independent garages specializing in the brand's hardware. This helped make it a great everyday supercar, as you didn't have to sit around waiting for months for bespoke parts to be made should your engine decide to unalive itself at any point.

First-Gen NSXs Will Set You Back A Fair Wedge These Days

Due to the NSXs popularity and rise as a performance icon, you'll struggle to get an affordable example in 2025. According to Hagerty's Valuation Tool, even a slightly rundown fair condition example will set you back around $42,000, with a good condition specimen setting you back $62,000. Set your sights higher, and you could expect to shell out around $150,000 for one in mint condition.

Low-Mileage NSXs Can Sell For Over $200,000

These values are backed up by Classic.com, which collates a range of auction listings from around the world. The average auction sale price for NA1 NSXs, which are cars built between 1991 and 1998, is a hefty $74,989. Values of the ar have risen considerably over the past few years though, with the average value sitting as low as $55,000 in 2020, before rising consistently ever since to the current level.

Low mileage examples, such as a 3,000-mile 1993 car being sold by Reggia Auto Group for $225,000, while well-looked-after cars with higher mileage, such as a 1992 example with 62,000 miles on the clock listed for just under $80,000, are still valuable. They may cost a pretty penny, but rest assured that you'll at least be able to enjoy it on an everyday basis, rather than leave it tucked away in the garage waiting for the summer.

Sources:Honda, Classic.com, Hagerty Valuation Tool

2025-02-09T10:56:08Z